Title Tracks: In Blank- Simplicity & Depth

"An elation of garage-like styling" is the best description I can muster for the band Title Tracks' 2011 release of In Blank

In Blank is a seriously fun collection of tracks that meet in delightful congress. It is the true definition of an album; all the songs fit together in concept, styling, and recording, and it's a surefire good time!

Lyrically thoughtful, John Davis (a.k.a. Georgie James), Title Tracks lead man, drops quotable thoughts in each and every song creation.

Whilst listening to In Blank, several vibes struck me; from, dare I say, early Beatles to The Strokes, but Title Tracks has an old-schoolesque style all their own. Each song is a mini masterpiece within the macrocosm that is In Blank!

This is a must have for all purist rock n' rollers. In Blank will help you do chores around the house, help you drink booze with friends, or give you something to study the simplicity, and yet, depth of.

Suggested Listening:

My Top Five on In Blank:

2. Turn Your Face
4. Light Sleepers
5. I Can't Hide- *album favorite*
6. Forget the Ghost
10. It's Wrong

Songs by Title Tracks

Listen to more Title Tracks - http://titletracksdc.blogspot.com/

Like Title Tracks on FB
All My Lovin',

Steve

A la France, I present, Nasser

If you were looking for some more driving, electro rock n' roll to shake your bedroom (a la The Gorillaz, Interpol, & Franz Ferdinand), you'll find a friend with #4, the 2011 release by Nasser!

This French threesome are, pardon my French, "kickass". No, really. They have well built songs, all in english, and all with a sweet French accent & attitude, to boot. Several odes to self-destruction lie within these existential walls of #4. There is no doubt in my mind that their live shows are just a big dance party!

Once I got past the first track, which warned the world about Nasser and the hiding of ones wife & daughter, I got to the good stuff. What I found was a (very) well recorded, (very) well played album, that you can easily play whilst partying with friends. A few tracks are pretty heavy into the electronic side of things, but they did a good job of not making it offensive to straight-laced rock 'n rollers. #4 presents a platform that makes the electronic formula a little more palatable to the new-to-electronica listeners. I believe it to be a scrumptious culmination of, synths, distorted electric guitars, full drum kit, and Rock(n'Roll)-solid riffage!

There is a lot of genre-bending in here, and I think this is a good listening experiment that takes a great look at this microcosm, within the evolution of music! This is one way that music is going, and it's pretty rad. They've perfected the art of build up and breakdown, as well as the air-tight drum fill that fits just right.

Nasser is one of those bands that not everyone will like, however, the people who like it, will really like it. I say, give it a listen and see what you think! This band will fit best with fans of Franz Ferdinand, the Gorillaz, and Interpol!

Suggested Listening:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/wearenasser

http://www.deezer.com/en/music/nasser/no-regrets-TFR12Q1000471#music/nasser - Album

Sincerely,

Steve Mozes

Holly goes heavy with the help of the Brokeoffs

I press play. Track one, 'No Help Coming', busts in the front door of my preconceptions. It seems I need to listen to some more. I also need to acquire a corn cob pipe and straw hat before I finish this thing. Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs have a great, strong start to their 2011 release, No Help Coming. It's chalk full of chase-scene vibrancy.

'The Rest of Your Life', Song two, puts the brakes on. It's well recorded and the structure is nice. Holly's vocals could quite possibly steal your soul. It would surely fit into most Tarantino scenes.

No Help Coming is full of lush soundscapes of layering and all-around amazingly recorded instrumentation. If you're into vintagesque song styling/structure, this is a record for you to experience!

Track six, 'Get Out My House', is high energy, rife with hand clapping, and a sweet anthem to end your parties with!

Every song has a special vibe, and that's what makes No Help Coming onea great album! I'm pretty sure this record was made for moonshiners to listen to, but I certainly do enjoy it. It is a time machine. It took me way back, and I didn't want to return... but all good things come to an end, and here I am, starting it over again.

Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs have won me over. Don't miss this album, and don't forget yer whisky!

Suggested Listening:

http://www.hollygolightlyandthebrokeoffs.com/

Buy No Help Coming on Amazon!



For the Music,

Steve

Golden Kanine, a force of folk to be reckoned with

Sweden is known here in the states to produce interesting and strange music, from Ace of Base, to ABBA, to the Hives, but I'm sincerely happy to say, "That's not all folks"!

Let me wholeheartedly welcome Golden Kanine to The Brown Notes! 

Hailing from  the Malmö, Välj region of Sweden, they have officially changed my world and will soon change yours! I was lucky enough to have a copy of their 2011 release of Oh Woe! land in my lap, and it immediately struck me as a golden nugget of musicality!

Track two, 'Climb', is a true gem on Oh Woe!. It has a historic feel (washboard folk) and yet modern, and will surely become a memorable moment within the menagerie of music history.

The fourth track, 'Fire', mellows out the high energy of the record a bit. Smooth horns, a bell kit, and fingerpicked strings calm it down nicely, and the vocals are reminiscent of a modest mouse(esk) type harmony (but in a much less abrasive/more folky way) and I mean, it's in a good way.

Each & every track has something uniquely special to offer, and I'm not one to give up that compliment so easily. Ubiquitous is the furthest thing from this album.

The lyrics are often very deep, and sometimes just as simple and poignant as, "you're such an asshole", and it fits.

As an engineer, I selfishly wish I had recorded this record. It's a little lo-fi, however, in this case, that's a good thing. There is a brilliant use of reverb on both instruments and vocals, invoking emotions ranging from playful to haunting. It is so well mixed and arranged that every instrument has a home in each song. It's not a jumbled mess, and for the amount of instrumentation and movement in each piece, I feel the engineer is as much a talented member of the band as the band themselves.

Keep your ears and eyes peeled, because Golden Kanine are making their ascent into awesomeness, and you should be among the first to welcome them! I implore you to give Golden Kanine a visit.




It's beautiful, it's deep, it's catchy, it's Golden Kanine.  http://goldenkanine.com/ http://www.myspace.com/goldenkanine


Like Golden Kanine on FB!

  Suggested Listening:  
 


 

Sincerely,

Steve

Something old, Something new (my hypothesi on the Dad Rock genre)

And God said unto Abraham, "As long as there shall be dads, there shall be Dad Rock". And it was so.

And it was profitable.

Henceforth, this became the first evolution of Dad Rock, kids hating some of the music of their forefather's youth.

But alas, culture evolves, or in some cases, de-volves. And so Dad Rock too became an element in our cultural evolution of music. You must realize, Dads also write music and become rock stars, and thus become even more appealing to the masses of Dads out there, looking to connect. So a new genre was formed within the heirarchy of rock n' roll, Nu-Dad Rock. To completely steal a quote from American Slang,  "Sweaty, radio-ready rock vibrancy that could easily sweep across demographic boundaries." is the best way to describe it. Simply put, it's simple, catchy, tacky (in most cases) , and distorted (or sometimes acoustic to pull on the dad's heartstrings).

Nu-Dad Rock is often & easily confused with the alternative rock genre, but one must look deeper and find that the fan-base is mostly (but not all); are approximately 20-47 years of age, have either had a child and/or a belief that one can keep having as many children as they want, and/or a general belief that war is an o.k. thing. Subject matter of Nu-Dad Rock songs often include; descriptions of the joy/sadness associated with having a child, the awareness of soldiers and the appreciation of their plight, or the want for or participation in completely excessive lifestyles (Women, Drugs, etc.). Also, many Nu-Dad Rock bands are nominated for and sometimes win Grammy awards.

Examples of Nu-Dad Rock include (but are not limited to):

-Nickleback

-Creed

-Puddle of Mud

-3 Doors Down

-Live

-Everclear

 I would like the readers of this to participate and list some other Dad Rock bands from all eras. The plan is to have brackets (like March madness) and figure out who the ultimate Dad Rock band is.

Peace, Love & Dad Rock,

-Mozes

In honor of Zombie Jesus day.

Salutations to one and all!

    On this sacred day celebrating the coming of the first zombie, Jesus, I would like to introduce some folks to a lovely little group entitled, Frightned Rabbit. I thought it was the perfect time figuring in that bunnies and Jesus go hand-in-hand.

    They hale from across the pond (Scottland), and are one amazing foursome of a band. If I had to describe their sound as a mixture of two different bands, I would say the Counting Crows and Death Cab for Cutie had an adorable little Scottish baby. The conglomeration of folky stylings, beautiful electric guitar tones, amazing use of reverbs (on all sorts), and soft spoken but well spoken vocals, make for a band that will inspire generations to come!

    Frightened Rabbit's 2010 release of 'The Winter of Mixed Drinks' is a solid feat of recording. Being their third studio record, they seem to have worked out all of the kinks and have mastered their own personal art of songwriting & home-brew recording. Don't get me wrong, 'Sing the Greys' (2006), and 'The Midnight Organ Fight' (2008) are truly awesome recordings, but The Winter of Mixed Drinks is both polished and, to me, seems more whole, within the idea of an album.

    Give 'em a go, chaps! Bands in the next decade will be saying that Frightened Rabbit were one of their influences, and I know I'll be saying that.



Suggested Listening:


"Swim Until You Can't See Land"- The Winter of Mixed Drinks

"Old Old Fashioned"- The Midnight Organ Fight

"Square 9"- The Greys

http://wearefrightenedrabbit.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frightened_Rabbit

Cheers & Happy Zombie Jesus Day,

-Mozes